Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

gerties, New York, where he met the lady
who later became his wife. After a per-
iod he went to Willimantic, Connecticut,
and about 1839 removed to Westville,
Connecticut, continuing all the time to
work at his trade. Eventually he went
to Seymour, Connecticut, and there
formed partnership with his brother, Wil-
liam A. Hodge, also a papermaker. In
1853 he went to Poquonock, Connecticut,
there to undertake the general managership
of three paper mills, one in Rainbow
and two in Poquonock, owned by William
H. Imlay. Later, his brother, William
A. Hodge, also came from Seymour,
Connecticut, and took charge, under the
direction of his brother, of the mill in
Rainbow. In course of time the brothers
Hodge purchased the Rainbow mill of
Mr. Imlay, and prospered, so that soon
they were able to purchase another mill,
that known as the Stockinet mill, the
owner of which was Charles W. Denslow.
Subsequently the brothers acquired the
wire mill of Mr. Denslow, and with these
three mills continued to produce a con-
siderable output of high grade paper.
George L. Hodge was apparently the
principal owner, and in 1865 became sole
owner, by purchase of his brother's inter-
est, and that of a nephew, W. L. Bidwell,
who had latterly been associated with
them. In the following year, 1866, he
died, and thereafter for some years the
mills were maintained in operation by
his son, George W. Hodge, and his sonin-law,
James J. Merwin, and the Hodge
and Merwin families have ever since been
connected with the paper manufacture in
this section.
To the union of James J. and Mary A.
(Hodge) Merwin were born five chil-
dren: 1. Sadie, who married Charles
Strong, who is now connected with the
^Etna Insurance Company. 2. George
Jared, of whom further. 3. May, unmar-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
211
ried, and remaining with her, now infirm,
mother in Windsor. 4. Kitty, who died
in infancy. 5. Frances, who married
John B. Cone, formerly a teller at the
^Etna National Bank.
George Jared Merwin attended the
public school of his native town, and
subsequently was sent for advanced academic
instruction to the Connecticut Lit-
erary Institute at Suffield, leaving there
to take his place in the paper business in
which his father, grandfather, and other
relatives had been interested. At that
time the mills were conducted by his
uncle, George W. Hodge, and the boy,
whose heredity inclined him in that direc-
tion, resolved to as quickly as possible
become possessed of a comprehensive
knowledge of all phases of paper making,
and particularly of the making of press
paper, which at that time was the spe-
cialty of the mill. After a mill experience
of six years, he took up the study of the
commercial end of the paper industry,
and having had a satisfactory offer
entered the service of the Hartford Paper
Company, which company operated mills
in Poquonock. In clerical capacity he
remained with that company for five and
one-half years, leaving to become secretary
to his uncle, George W. Hodge, who
had recently been elected State treasurer.
He acted as such during the whole of his
uncle's term of two years, after which he
became identified with the new business
department of the Hartford office of the
Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company.
He, however, continued to wish
himself back in the business he first
entered, and in which his relatives had
labored for so long, and he realized his
wish within five years after entering the
insurance field. He apparently did well
during that period, for he was then able
to purchase from his uncle, George W.
Hodge, the paper plant in which he, as a